Battles Under Shadow
by Mishachan
Summary: A troubled Kokiri elf, angry at the close-minded-ness of her fellow elves, strikes out on her own


"Hiyaa! Take THAT! And that! And that! Perish, you befouled mortal! Take your punishment like a...woman! Yah!" With furious energy, the Kokiri Elf Kenka slashed with her sword. Again and again she stabbed, hacked, and plunged through her foes with a snap and a swish. It was one to a hundred, but they were falling back before the greatest swordswoman to ever walk the land. Victory was nearly hers when a voice broke through her concentration,   
"Kenka! What in the world are you doing to those bushes??"   
  
She whirled, flipping her hair behind her and looked up. "Uh...hi there, Lane."   
  
Another Kokiri, Lane, regarded her critically. "Answer my question."   
  
Kenka fiddled with one of her ponytails as she said, "I was just practicing sword fighting..."   
  
Lane strode forward and snatched the "sword" out of her hand. "With a wooden stick? Those poor bushes are probably wondering what they ever did to you."   
  
Kenka sighed. "Did you come here for a reason, or just to bug me?"   
  
Lane cast the stick to the ground. "There's news from the Lost Woods village."   
  
Kenka jumped up happily. "We got a connection? Yay!"   
  
Lane rolled his eyes. "Yeah, and we're meeting with them now. And waiting for you. So come on."   
  
Together, the two Kokiri made their way to a giant, hollowed-out tree trunk in the middle of the village the Kokiri called home. Kenka looked around as they entered. The whole village was there: Katya, Danni, Petyr, and Nallia. Shaya, their leader, was at the front. Kenka waved to everyone - only Shaya waved back - and sat down a bit apart from the others. Lane sat down by Katya, then Shaya stood up to speak.   
  
"I finally got hold of the Sage of the Forest, who lives in the Lost Woods. She is one of the Kokiri that are the caretakers of the Deku Sprout. The Sage taught me a special song that will allow me to speak with her whenever I want." So saying, she picked up a small harp and plucked out a simple but pretty tune. Magic began swirling around the harp, and suddenly a sort of window materialized into the air. A face shimmered into view; the face of the Sage of the Forest. Kenka had seen Saria only once before, on the day the Deku Tree had died. Saria had contacted all of the Kokiri villages to prevent panic and tell them what was going on. Her looks hadn't changed at all, except that she looked less stressed. Smiling, Saria addressed the Kokiri of Oakshire Forest.   
  
"Greetings, Oakshire! How fare things in your forest?"   
  
Shaya spoke for them, "Things are going very well here. What about the Lost Woods?"   
  
Saria nodded and replied, "We are doing well here. Things have been rather... hum-drum as of late."   
  
Kenka blinked. As Saria spoke, two fingers appeared behind her head to give her bunny-ears. Shaya stared, and Katya, Lane, and Petyr started giggling uncontrollably. Saria turned her gaze to them in confusion. "What's so funny?"   
  
Shaya, trying hard not to laugh, pointed at the hand. "Behind you..."   
  
Saria whirled to face someone out of sight of the Kokiri. Then she pounced away from view, yelling, "Oh, Link!"   
  
Then the sound of a boy's laughter burst upon them, along with rustling sounds in the background. The Oakshire Kokiri looked at each other in confusion before Saria popped into view again. Another face appeared besides hers, that of a handsome, blonde young man. Saria grinned faintly.   
  
"This is Link, everyone. Link, these are the Oakshire Forest Kokiri."   
  
Link waved to them. "Oakshire forest? Haven't been there yet." He peered around at them. "I'll have to go there sometime. Pretty girls there."   
  
Saria frowned and pushed him roughly away. "Right. Anyway-"   
  
Kenka suddenly stood up and interrupted her. "Hold on! That can't be Link! He looks old!"   
  
Saria shook her head. "But it is Link. He's...not Kokiri."   
  
Kenka fell silent, and sat down at glances from her companions. She was always fascinated by Link. A kokiri, who dared to fight against whatever threatened? He stood in the face of tradition and prevailed. But...not a Kokiri...she sighed and reverted her attention to what Saria was saying.   
  
"...hardly a sprout anymore. It's more like a small tree, and growing so quickly..." Behind Saria, Kenka could see Link sitting ona rock and quietly playing an ocarina.   
  
A shout interrupted her thoughts as well as Saria's words. It was a moment before Kenka realized it was from saria's side of the connection. A red-haired Kokiri ran up to Saria, panting hard.   
  
"Saria...he's..gone.."   
  
Link was immediately on his feet and to Saria's side with a speed and grace that amazed Kenka. He looked at the red-head anxiously and asked,   
  
"How long has he been gone?"   
  
The other shrugged. "We saw him last night, but only that."   
  
Saria seemed to forget about Oakshire as she took charge of the situation. "Alright. He didn't let us know he was leaving. There must be a reason for that. Link," she faced him, "Do you think you could follow his trail?"   
  
Link half-grinned at her. "Of course, Saria."   
  
She smiled back, then looked at the red-head. "Milo, tell everyone that Link is taking care of things. If anything has been stolen, come get me."   
  
Milo nodded, and after glancing almost contemptuously at Link, sauntered off. Saria turned back to the Oakshire Forest.   
  
"I'm sorry for this interruption; things aren't really as hum-drum as I thought. Farewell..."   
  
Abruptly the air-borne window vanished, and the Kokriri were left sitting in stunned silence.   
  
Katya jumped to her feet, her blonde curls bouncing around her shoulders. "Who do you think was their visitor?"   
  
Nobody knew, but there were many varied guesses.   
  
"Maybe it was that Ganondorf guy in disguise!"   
  
"The princess of Hyrule!"   
  
"The king of Selia!"   
  
"Perhaps a poe come to wreak mischief!"   
  
Kenka looked back and forth between everyone before jumping up herself. "Let's go find out!"   
  
Everyone fell silent and turned to look at her. Petyr asked in confusion, "What?"   
  
Kenka turned towards the round-faced Kokiri happily. "Let's go to the Lost Woods and find out!"   
  
Indignantly, Katya said, "We can't leave the forest, Kenka, you know that!"   
  
Kenka frowned. "You only believe that because you've never tried it!"   
  
"Well of course I haven't! I'd die!"   
  
"You don't know that."   
  
Katya scoffed at her. "You're so stupid, Kenka. 'Let's try this to see if it kills us or not!' Please, girl, it's suicide!"   
  
Kenka trembled with anger. "I'm not stupid! And Kokiri have left their forests before and lived!"   
  
"Who? Link? Guess what! Your precious hero isn't a Kokiri!"   
  
Kenka looked away and mumbled, "What about Gumboots?"   
  
Lane stepped in between Katya and Kenka, facing Kenka. "Enough of this. Gumboots is a fairy tale. And we're not going anywhere. Why don't you leave by yourself? If you died, no one would care!"   
  
Tears sprang to Kenka's eyes and she yelled at him, "Maybe I will! Just to get away from you idiots!" She dashed out of the tree and plunged into the forest, running, and not caring where she was going. 


End file.
